Author
Topic: Cacao Nibs (Read 3985 times)

I brew a Chocolate Stout that calls for 8oz. of nibs in secondary. I leave them for 14 days b/c I'm looking for a good chocolate aroma and taste profile. I'd recommend half of that for the same amount of days or, as Gordon suggests, check it.

I've never worked with nibs. What flavors do they impart? Is it an unmistakable chocolate flavor? I know there is all sorts of processing that can be done on nibs to turn them into cocoa powder such as roasting, alkali, etc., that I was wondering whether you get a lot of chocolate-ness out of it or whether it imparts other unique flavors. In other words, if I want a definite chocolate taste, do nibs give you that or are you better off going with something like a chocolate malt or using cocoa powder. This is probably too general of a question because, like coffee, I'm sure it is very dependent upon the cocoa pod, where it comes from, and how it's handled.

I've never worked with nibs. What flavors do they impart? Is it an unmistakable chocolate flavor? I know there is all sorts of processing that can be done on nibs to turn them into cocoa powder such as roasting, alkali, etc., that I was wondering whether you get a lot of chocolate-ness out of it or whether it imparts other unique flavors. In other words, if I want a definite chocolate taste, do nibs give you that or are you better off going with something like a chocolate malt or using cocoa powder. This is probably too general of a question because, like coffee, I'm sure it is very dependent upon the cocoa pod, where it comes from, and how it's handled.

buy some, eat some. I get a sort of cross between chocolate and walnuts. with a fat content more like pine or macadamia. It is delicious and does very much say chocolate without shouting it. I have not used them in a beer.